Overwhelming response

THE response to the visiting doctors from Shriners Hospital for Children in Hawaii has been overwhelming.

Hospital representative Rob Leacock said they've seen 57 children since the clinics started on Tuesday.

"The patients coming in have been more than we can handle," he said.

"We actually had to send some children away on Tuesday because we could not accommodate them.

"Yesterday, we had about 82 children coming to the clinic. There are two doctors and a nurse and we run the clinics from 8am to 5pm."

Mr Leacock said the clinic in Lautoka had been successful and children who had been treated in Hawaii were also seen by the doctors.

"There have been about 10 children that have come in so far for medical check-ups and these children have already been to Hawaii.

"We have more children leaving for Hawaii soon and one is actually leaving on March 18. Presently, we have about eight children still undergoing treatment in Hawaii."

Mr Leacock said some of the most common forms of orthopedic conditions that children had and sought treatment for included club feet, bad hip, joint problems for knees and elbows and unhealed broken bones.

The clinics for Lautoka ends today and the team will move on to Labasa on March 17 before attending to cases in Suva for two days from March 18.